New England PatriotsNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94New England PatriotsThu, 07 Sep 2017 00:07:40 +0000New England Patriotshttp://ripr.org
Mike SzostakAs summer fades to fall, the Red Sox – Boston and Pawtucket – and the Patriots dominate the sports news. Here is my take on three hot topics. RED SOX: SNAP OUT OF IT! The Red Sox could have all but clinched the A.L. East title with a decent weekend in New York, but no, they seem determined to do it the hard way, if they do it at all. They lost three of four in the Bronx and returned home with a shaky 3½-game lead over the Yankees. Then, on Monday night, they took a 10-4 beating from Toronto. LAST PLACE Toronto, for Pete’s sake! Now the lead is 2½ games, thanks to that loss and New York’s victory at Baltimore. What in the name of Big Papi is going on up there in Boston? Rick Porcello, a 24-game winner and Cy Young recipient in 2016, pitched his way closer to a 20-loss season Monday night when he threw three home run balls to the Jays, raising his total to 35 for the season. He is 9-16. Chris Sale, a lock for the American League Cy Young Award at the All-Star break, has been horrible inRed Sox, PawSox And Patriotshttp://ripr.org/post/red-sox-pawsox-and-patriots
87603 as http://ripr.orgTue, 05 Sep 2017 19:18:42 +0000Red Sox, PawSox And PatriotsXimena CondeAs flooding from tropical storm Harvey worsens in Houston and begins to affect nearby states, New England continues to pitch in for relief efforts.RI Blood Center And NE Patriots Help In Harvey Relief Effortshttp://ripr.org/post/ri-blood-center-and-ne-patriots-help-harvey-relief-efforts
87288 as http://ripr.orgTue, 29 Aug 2017 13:37:11 +0000RI Blood Center And NE Patriots Help In Harvey Relief EffortsDan GuzmanThe former Patriots’ tight end killed himself while in prison for murder. State corrections officials say Hernandez was found just after three this morning hanging by a bed sheet.Former Patriots Star Aaron Hernandez Dead At 27http://ripr.org/post/former-patriots-star-aaron-hernandez-dead-27
81494 as http://ripr.orgWed, 19 Apr 2017 15:23:33 +0000Former Patriots Star Aaron Hernandez Dead At 27Fans lined the streets of downtown Providence Tuesday before a Patriots rally at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Thousands of people stood in the rain, waiting for their chance to catch a glimpse of the Super Bowl champions and the Super Bowl trophy. In a line that ran for at least three blocks, fan Mike Cote from Warwick said he came to celebrate the team’s entire season, and, of course, their historic come-from-behind win at the Super Bowl. “We’re here to support the team that gives us something to look forward to,” said Cote. "You bust your but every day during the week, and during football season Sunday comes, and it’s a day to release." His thoughts on the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history? Receiver Julian Edelman deserves public recognition for that catch-for-the-ages, which helped spur the Pats to victory. “Oh, I can tell you I think Edelman needs a statue. Bobby Orr’s got his, and after that catch he deserves his own. That literally was a miracle catch,” said Cote. Tom MaternFans Brave Rain And Cold For Pats Rally In Providencehttp://ripr.org/post/fans-brave-rain-and-cold-pats-rally-providence
78560 as http://ripr.orgWed, 08 Feb 2017 14:04:28 +0000Fans Brave Rain And Cold For Pats Rally In ProvidenceScott MacKayThe NFL is designed to be the parity league. Dynasties aren’t supposed to happen. A limit on player salaries allots each team the same payroll. Last place teams get the top college draft choices; first place get the last picks. The Patriots have shattered that image and the NFL's design. The Brady-Belichick era has produced five super bowl titles, the most improbable on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.What Outsiders Don't Understand About Patriots Fanshttp://ripr.org/post/what-outsiders-dont-understand-about-patriots-fans
78529 as http://ripr.orgTue, 07 Feb 2017 22:31:08 +0000What Outsiders Don't Understand About Patriots FansMike SzostakChampionships eluded New England’s Big Four this year, but the Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins still provided us with memorable moments. So did Providence College, Bishop Hendricken and Johnson & Wales. Here, then, are my choices for the Top 10 Local Sports Stories of 2016, assuming you agree that whatever happens with the Pats, Sox, Celts and Bs is of local interest. TOM BRADY RETURNS He fought the law, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, over Deflategate, and the law won. The New England Patriots quarterback served his four-game suspension with class and then came back with a vengeance. He has led the Pats to 10 victories in the 11 games since his return – they were 3-1 without him -- and a victory at Miami on Sunday will give them home-field advantage through the AFC Championship. Brady is second behind Atlanta’s Matt Ryan on the NFL quarterback rating list. Brady has thrown 399 passes and completed 266 for 3,278 yards and 25 touchdowns. He has been intercepted twice. And theTom Brady, David Oritz Top Sports Stories Of 2016http://ripr.org/post/tom-brady-david-oritz-top-sports-stories-2016
76926 as http://ripr.orgFri, 30 Dec 2016 14:44:08 +0000Tom Brady, David Oritz Top Sports Stories Of 2016Mike SzostakSeptember has turned into the sweetest month this year, and here’s why. THE RED SOX The first-place Red Sox – yes, first place – are in a pennant race after back-to-back last-place finishes in the American League East. Does it get any better than meaningful baseball in September? I don’t think so. Well, yes, when the meaningful games are against the Yankees, and the Red Sox sweep. They did just that over the weekend, ending New York’s long-shot playoff hopes with a 5-4 victory on Sunday. The four-game sweep was Boston’s first over New York in 26 years. Did you catch the series opener Thursday night? Unbelievable. An instant classic. Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the ninth, the Sox rallied for five runs and a stunning 7-5 triumph. Hanley Ramirez ended it when he launched a two-out, 3-1 fastball from Yankees relief ace Dellin Betances on a majestic arc that landed about 426 feet away in the centerfield seats. The rally started when a pitch grazed the top of Chris Young’s batting helmet,Red Sox, Patriots Making September Sweethttp://ripr.org/post/red-sox-patriots-making-september-sweet
72927 as http://ripr.orgMon, 19 Sep 2016 13:58:45 +0000Red Sox, Patriots Making September SweetMark DegonNew England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is looking to go back to court as he continues to fight a four-game suspension over the deflation of footballs in a 2014 playoff game. Lawyers for Brady are asking all 13 judges of the federal appeals court to re-consider a ruling issued by three of its judges last month. That ruling said the NFL union contract permitted NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to make the final determination about Brady’s status when he went to arbitration. The Brady legal team argues the judges failed to consider that in up-holding the suspension, Goodell used a different rationale that was applied when the n-f-l first reviewed the case a year ago. While there's no time-table, Brady's lawyer says he does not expect this appeal to be lengthy. Brady's scheduled to begin serving his suspension when the Patriots open the season on September 11th. Editor's note: A previous version of this article incorrectly said Brady faced a six-game suspension. It is four games.Tom Brady Continues To Fight Four Game 'Deflategate' Suspensionhttp://ripr.org/post/tom-brady-continues-fight-four-game-deflategate-suspension
67832 as http://ripr.orgTue, 24 May 2016 12:46:35 +0000Tom Brady Continues To Fight Four Game 'Deflategate' SuspensionMike SzostakDeflategate is over. The National Football League and Commissioner Roger Goodell won. The New England Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady lost. Fifteen months after the NFL accused the Patriots of tampering with footballs in the 2015 AFC Championship, and three days before the Thursday start of the 2016 NFL Draft, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit overturned a lower court ruling that favored Brady. In doing so, by a 2-1 vote, the court acknowledged that Goodell can govern the NFL with an iron fist, thanks to language in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to which the players and the owners last agreed in 2011. The result? Brady is suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2016 season, at the Arizona Cardinals and at home against the Miami Dolphins, the Houston Texans and the Buffalo Bills. Goodell had issued that punishment last May in the wake of the damning Wells Report, which concluded that it was “more probable than not that Brady was at leastCostly Deflategate Victory Proves Only That Commissioner Roger Goodell Is The Bosshttp://ripr.org/post/costly-deflategate-victory-proves-only-commissioner-roger-goodell-boss
66710 as http://ripr.orgWed, 27 Apr 2016 22:11:29 +0000Costly Deflategate Victory Proves Only That Commissioner Roger Goodell Is The BossDavid BoeriThe NFL season could begin without one of the leagues biggest stars. A Federal Appeals Court re-instated the four game suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady over the deflation of footballs in a 2014 play-off game. As WBUR reporter David Boeri reports, this time legal observers do not expect another come-back.Federal Appeals Court Re-Instates Brady's Four Game Suspensionhttp://ripr.org/post/federal-appeals-court-re-instates-bradys-four-game-suspension
66629 as http://ripr.orgTue, 26 Apr 2016 15:43:18 +0000Federal Appeals Court Re-Instates Brady's Four Game SuspensionMike SzostakBuddy Cianci, the longest serving mayor in the history of Providence, 21 years, and one of the most colorful and controversial politicians in the history of Rhode Island, will take his final spin through the city he loved on Monday en route to St. Ann’s Cemetery in Cranston, where he will be interred. Leaving from City Hall, diagonally across from the outdoor skating rink he championed, the funeral cortege will pass within blocks of sports venues, real and imagined, that figured prominently in his career. The Dunkin’ Donuts Center, where he used to cheer the Providence Bruins hockey team and tout NCAA basketball and hockey tournaments. The rail approach to Providence Station, on which he envisioned a publicly financed 69,000-seat stadium for the New England Patriots. The vacant riverfront lot on the edge of downtown that he argued against as the site of a publicly financed baseball park for the Pawtucket Red Sox. Unfortunately, the procession will miss the 33-acre campus of Moses BrownPolitics Was Buddy's Sport, But He Led Cheers For Othershttp://ripr.org/post/politics-was-buddys-sport-he-led-cheers-others
63105 as http://ripr.orgMon, 08 Feb 2016 04:28:05 +0000Politics Was Buddy's Sport, But He Led Cheers For OthersMike SzostakThe Patriots did not lose to the Broncos Sunday because kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed a point after attempt in the first quarter. Allow me to repeat. THE PATRIOTS DID NOT LOSE TO THE BRONCOS SUNDAY BECAUSE KICKER STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI MISSED A POINT AFTER ATTEMPT IN THE FIRST QUARTER. Gostkowski’s miss, his first after 523 consecutive makes since the end of his rookie season in 2006, hurt, for sure. Had he made it,he would have had a chance to tie the score at 20-20 with 15 seconds to play. Still, had the Patriots capitalized on their scoring opportunities in the fourth quarter, they, not the Broncos, would be heading to Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers in two weeks. No, the Patriots lost, 20-18, because Denver’s top-rated defense outplayed New England’s banged up offense, interior linemen and edge rushers pressuring Tom Brady the entire game – 24 hits, 4 sacks -- linebackers and defensive backs in seven-man coverage blanketing Pats receivers as no one has all season. TheWhy Did The Patriots Lose? Let Us Count The Wayshttp://ripr.org/post/why-did-patriots-lose-let-us-count-ways
62509 as http://ripr.orgMon, 25 Jan 2016 13:35:01 +0000Why Did The Patriots Lose? Let Us Count The WaysMike SzostakAll last week, Sports World focused on the rivalry between quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Brady vs. Manning. Manning vs. Brady. Their 17 th , and possibly final, game against each other when Brady and the New England Patriots tackle Manning and the Denver Broncos Sunday for the AFC Championship and a trip to Super Bowl 50. With the kickoff of what could be an epic battle looming, may we take a step back and acknowledge that this game is not Brady versus Manning but Brady and the Patriots offense against the Broncos defense? And Manning and the Broncos offense against the Patriots defense? Thank you. If you want true individual rivalries, google Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. They played against each other, literally, 142 times in their Hall of Fame basketball careers. Or Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, who faced each other across a tennis net 80 times. Or Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, NBA legends who first went against each other in the 1979 NCAA Championship GameIt's Not Brady Vs. Manning; It's The Patriots Vs. The Broncoshttp://ripr.org/post/its-not-brady-vs-manning-its-patriots-vs-broncos
62483 as http://ripr.orgSun, 24 Jan 2016 15:55:05 +0000It's Not Brady Vs. Manning; It's The Patriots Vs. The BroncosMike SzostakCall them The Questionables because there was just a 50-50 chance they would play in their AFC divisional playoff game Saturday. Questionable Rob Gronkowski, he of the back and knee injuries, caught seven passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns and recovered an onside kick with 1:13 to play. Questionable Julian Edelman, he of the broken foot, grabbed 10 passes for 100 yards. Questionable Chandler Jones, he of abdomen and toe issues and a shirtless foray to the Foxboro Police Department six days prior, forced a Chiefs fumble that became the Patriots’ third touchdown. Yes, The Questionables contributed mightily to the New England Patriots 27-20 victory over the Kansas City at Gillette Stadium, snapping the Chiefs 11-game winning streak. So did Tom Brady, who picked apart the NFL’s seventh-best defense with 28 completions for 302 yards and touchdowns of 8 and 16 yards to Gronk and who lunged for a touchdown. And Stephen Gostkowski, who kicked field goals of 40 yards and 32 yards to giveThe Questionables Help The Patriots To Their 27-20 Playoff Victoryhttp://ripr.org/post/questionables-help-patriots-their-27-20-playoff-victory
62176 as http://ripr.orgSun, 17 Jan 2016 03:30:06 +0000The Questionables Help The Patriots To Their 27-20 Playoff VictoryMike SzostakYellow caution flags should flutter over Gillette Stadium Saturday when the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs kick off their AFC divisional playoff game. Why worry? Let us count the reasons. The Chiefs, winners of 11 consecutive games, are the hottest team in pro football. They launched their postseason run last weekend with a 30-0 rout of Houston, a convincing performance by the seventh-best defense in the NFL. The Patriots, losers of four of their last six games, are one of the coolest teams in the playoffs, and that’s not a compliment. After a 10-0 start that had Pats fans dreaming of an undefeated season and another Super Bowl title, Bill Belichick’s boys stumbled badly in the last month-and-a-half. They slipped from the being the top team in the AFC with home-field advantage through the conference championship to the second-seeded team behind Denver. Injuries, a significant factor in New England’s slump, continue to plague the team. All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski,Reasons To Worry, But Patriots Should Winhttp://ripr.org/post/reasons-worry-patriots-should-win
62160 as http://ripr.orgSat, 16 Jan 2016 16:42:16 +0000Reasons To Worry, But Patriots Should WinMike SzostakDeflated footballs proved more newsworthy than a Super Bowl trophy, NCAA hockey championship hardware and the bill of sale for a beloved minor-league baseball franchise this year. Eleven months after the New England Patriots used underinflated footballs in the first half of the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts, Deflategate drags on. That’s why it is without question THE sports story of 2015 in Rhode Island and the rest of New England. Yes, bigger than the Patriots miraculous Super Bowl victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Bigger than the sale of the Pawtucket Red Sox and the failed attempt of the new owners to move the team to Providence. And bigger than Providence College’s skate to the NCAA hockey championship. So, with but a few hours remaining in 2015, here are the On Sports Top 10 Stories of the Year. 1. DEFLATEGATE What a saga, beyond even the fertile imagination of Stephen King. Patriots employee on his way to the field with game balls detours to the men’s roomDeflategate Trumps Super Bowl, NCAA Title And PawSox Sale As Top Story Of 2015http://ripr.org/post/deflategate-trumps-super-bowl-ncaa-title-and-pawsox-sale-top-story-2015
61515 as http://ripr.orgThu, 31 Dec 2015 19:26:07 +0000Deflategate Trumps Super Bowl, NCAA Title And PawSox Sale As Top Story Of 2015Scott MacKayFor workers and unions, there hasn’t been much to celebrate on Labor Day in recent years. RIPR political analyst Scott MacKay says things may finally be looking up.Scott MacKay Commentary: Better Times for Organized Labor on Labor Day 2015http://ripr.org/post/scott-mackay-commentary-better-times-organized-labor-labor-day-2015
56160 as http://ripr.orgFri, 04 Sep 2015 20:04:04 +0000Scott MacKay Commentary: Better Times for Organized Labor on Labor Day 2015Mike SzostakJudge Richard M. Berman’s decision to vacate Tom Brady’s four-game suspension is a stunning victory for the New England Patriots quarterback and a stinging blow to the National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell. Think of the NFL as the Roman Empire of sports in America and Goodell as Caesar. Magnificent stadia dot the landscape from coast to coast, and every week from September to January gladiators clash to the cheers of hundreds of thousands of loyal subjects. Now, think of Brady as The Gladiator, one of the best ever, the face of the NFL of the 2000s, Super Bowl champion and MVP. That he is strikingly handsome, married to a beautiful woman and father to a young family only enhances his aura. When he smiles and says he did nothing wrong, we believe him, right? With Berman’s ruling Thursday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, the gladiator defeated the emperor, at least in this round. Now Brady can look forward to starting the season next week against Pittsburgh – theDeflategate: A Stunning Victory For Tom Brady; A Stinging Blow To Roger Goodellhttp://ripr.org/post/deflategate-stunning-victory-tom-brady-stinging-blow-roger-goodell
56111 as http://ripr.orgThu, 03 Sep 2015 20:33:09 +0000Deflategate: A Stunning Victory For Tom Brady; A Stinging Blow To Roger GoodellJohn BenderThe NFL lawyer who investigated the deflation of footballs by the Patriots last season says he has direct evidence quarterback Tom Brady knew about the incident. Following the investigation the NFL hit Brady with a four game suspension, which has some fan scratching their heads. Bradford Griffin from Woonsocket said it seems unfair to give Brady a four-game suspension when another player was suspended for just two games in a case involving domestic violence. “I think they’re trying to set a precedent and I think it’s a little on the harsh side,” said Griffin. “I’m trying to be as unbiased as possible but I am a patriot’s Fan.” But Griffin said it does concern him that Brady may have participated in a plan to break the rules “The worst thing he did about it is if he really did know about and then he lied about it, that’s the worst part about it but I hope he didn’t.” In addition to the four-game suspension for Brady, the whole team has been slapped with a one-million dollar fine. BradyLocal Fans React To NFL Penalty Against Tom Bradyhttp://ripr.org/post/local-fans-react-nfl-penalty-against-tom-brady
50819 as http://ripr.orgWed, 13 May 2015 13:33:55 +0000Local Fans React To NFL Penalty Against Tom BradyMike SzostakSports World has lost its mind. Again. Why would the NFL suspend Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for the first four games of the 2015 season because an investigator concluded that it was “more probable than not” that Brady had something to do with footballs being deflated for the AFC Championship game last January? No concrete evidence. Just “more probable than not.” Why would the league fine the Patriots $1 million when the investigation did not implicate the owner Robert Kraft or the head coach Bill Belichick? Why would Ted Wells, investigator and author of the 243-page report that damned the Patriots and their star QB, become upset because Brady’s agent Don Yee, Kraft and every Pats fan on the continent ripped him and his work? Because Sports World has gone crazy, that’s why, and Deflategate is just the latest example. Want a few others? Try college basketball and football coaches making $3 million or $4 million a year. The college football season lasting five months and the collegeSports World Has Lost Its Mind Againhttp://ripr.org/post/sports-world-has-lost-its-mind-again
50802 as http://ripr.orgWed, 13 May 2015 02:59:27 +0000Sports World Has Lost Its Mind Again